7--A Coalition between Beauty and Oddness
The old captain's prevailing indifference to his granddaughter'smovements left her free as a bird to follow her own courses; but it sohappened that he did take upon himself the next morning to ask her whyshe had walked out so late.
Only in search of events, Grandfather, she said, looking out of thewindow with that drowsy latency of manner which discovered so much forcebehind it whenever the trigger was pressed.
Search of events--one would think you were one of the bucks I knew atone-and-twenty.
It is lonely here.
So much the better. If I were living in a town my whole time would betaken up in looking after you. I fully expected you would have been homewhen I returned from the Woman.
I won't conceal what I did. I wanted an adventure, and I went with themummers. I played the part of the Turkish Knight.
No, never? Ha, ha! Good gad! I didn't expect it of you, Eustacia.
It was my first performance, and it certainly will be my last. Now Ihave told you--and remember it is a secret.
Of course. But, Eustacia, you never did--ha! ha! Dammy, how 'twouldhave pleased me forty years ago! But remember, no more of it, my girl.You may walk on the heath night or day, as you choose, so that you don'tbother me; but no figuring in breeches again.
You need have no fear for me, Grandpapa.
Here the conversation ceased, Eustacia's moral training never exceedingin severity a dialogue of this sort, which, if it ever became profitableto good works, would be a result not dear at the price. But her thoughtssoon strayed far from her own personality; and, full of a passionate andindescribable solicitude for one to whom she was not even a name, shewent forth into the amplitude of tanned wild around her, restless asAhasuerus the Jew. She was about half a mile from her residence whenshe beheld a sinister redness arising from a ravine a little way inadvance--dull and lurid like a flame in sunlight and she guessed it tosignify Diggory Venn.
When the farmers who had wished to buy in a new stock of reddle duringthe last month had inquired where Venn was to be found, people replied,On Egdon Heath. Day after day the answer was the same. Now, sinceEgdon was populated with heath-croppers and furze-cutters rather thanwith sheep and shepherds, and the downs where most of the latter wereto be found lay some to the north, some to the west of Egdon, hisreason for camping about there like Israel in Zin was not apparent. Theposition was central and occasionally desirable. But the sale of reddlewas not Diggory's primary object in remaining on the heath, particularlyat so late a period of the year, when most travellers of his class hadgone into winter quarters.
Eustacia looked at the lonely man. Wildeve had told her at their lastmeeting that Venn had been thrust forward by Mrs. Yeobright as one readyand anxious to take his place as Thomasin's betrothed. His figurewas perfect, his face young and well outlined, his eye bright, hisintelligence keen, and his position one which he could readily better ifhe chose. But in spite of possibilities it was not likely that Thomasinwould accept this Ishmaelitish creature while she had a cousin likeYeobright at her elbow, and Wildeve at the same time not absolutelyindifferent. Eustacia was not long in guessing that poor Mrs. Yeobright,in her anxiety for her niece's future, had mentioned this lover tostimulate the zeal of the other. Eustacia was on the side of theYeobrights now, and entered into the spirit of the aunt's desire.
Good morning, miss, said the reddleman, taking off his cap ofhareskin, and apparently bearing her no ill-will from recollection oftheir last meeting.
Good morning, reddleman, she said, hardly troubling to lift herheavily shaded eyes to his. I did not know you were so near. Is yourvan here too?
Venn moved his elbow towards a hollow in which a dense brake ofpurple-stemmed brambles had grown to such vast dimensions as almost toform a dell. Brambles, though churlish when handled, are kindly shelterin early winter, being the latest of the deciduous bushes to lose theirleaves.
The roof and chimney of Venn's caravan showed behind the tracery andtangles of the brake.
You remain near this part? she asked with more interest.
Yes, I have business here.
Not altogether the selling of reddle?
It has nothing to do with that.
It has to do with Miss Yeobright?
Her face seemed to ask for an armed peace, and he therefore saidfrankly, Yes, miss; it is on account of her.
On account of your approaching marriage with her?
Venn flushed through his stain. Don't make sport of me, Miss Vye, hesaid.
It isn't true?
Certainly not.
She was thus convinced that the reddleman was a mere pis aller in Mrs.Yeobright's mind; one, moreover, who had not even been informed of hispromotion to that lowly standing. It was a mere notion of mine, shesaid quietly; and was about to pass by without further speech, when,looking round to the right, she saw a painfully well-known figureserpentining upwards by one of the little paths which led to the topwhere she stood. Owing to the necessary windings of his course his backwas at present towards them. She glanced quickly round; to escape thatman there was only one way. Turning to Venn, she said, Would you allowme to rest a few minutes in your van? The banks are damp for sittingon.
Certainly, miss; I'll make a place for you.
She followed him behind the dell of brambles to his wheeled dwellinginto which Venn mounted, placing the three-legged stool just within thedoor.
That is the best I can do for you, he said, stepping down and retiringto the path, where he resumed the smoking of his pipe as he walked upand down.
Eustacia bounded into the vehicle and sat on the stool, ensconced fromview on the side towards the trackway. Soon she heard the brushing ofother feet than the reddleman's, a not very friendly Good dayuttered by two men in passing each other, and then the dwindling of thefoot-fall of one of them in a direction onwards. Eustacia stretched herneck forward till she caught a glimpse of a receding back and shoulders;and she felt a wretched twinge of misery, she knew not why. It was thesickening feeling which, if the changed heart has any generosity at allin its composition, accompanies the sudden sight of a once-loved one whois beloved no more.
When Eustacia descended to proceed on her way the reddleman came near.That was Mr. Wildeve who passed, miss, he said slowly, and expressedby his face that he expected her to feel vexed at having been sittingunseen.
Yes, I saw him coming up the hill, replied Eustacia. Why shouldyou tell me that? It was a bold question, considering the reddleman'sknowledge of her past love; but her undemonstrative manner had power torepress the opinions of those she treated as remote from her.
I am glad to hear that you can ask it, said the reddleman bluntly.And, now I think of it, it agrees with what I saw last night.
Ah--what was that? Eustacia wished to leave him, but wished to know.
Mr. Wildeve stayed at Rainbarrow a long time waiting for a lady whodidn't come.
You waited too, it seems?
Yes, I always do. I was glad to see him disappointed. He will be thereagain tonight.
To be again disappointed. The truth is, reddleman, that that lady, sofar from wishing to stand in the way of Thomasin's marriage with Mr.Wildeve, would be very glad to promote it.
Venn felt much astonishment at this avowal, though he did not show itclearly; that exhibition may greet remarks which are one remove fromexpectation, but it is usually withheld in complicated cases of tworemoves and upwards. Indeed, miss, he replied.
How do you know that Mr. Wildeve will come to Rainbarrow againtonight? she asked.
I heard him say to himself that he would. He's in a regular temper.
Eustacia looked for a moment what she felt, and she murmured, liftingher deep dark eyes anxiously to his, I wish I knew what to do. I don'twant to be uncivil to him; but I don't wish to see him again; and I havesome few little things to return to him.
If you choose to send 'em by me, miss, and a note to tell him that youwish to say no more to him, I'll take it for you quite privately. Thatwould be the most straightforward way of letting him know your mind.
Very well, said Eustacia. Come towards my house, and I will bring itout to you.
She went on, and as the path was an infinitely small parting in theshaggy locks of the heath, the reddleman followed exactly in her trail.She saw from a distance that the captain was on the bank sweeping thehorizon with his telescope; and bidding Venn to wait where he stood sheentered the house alone.
In ten minutes she returned with a parcel and a note, and said, inplacing them in his hand, Why are you so ready to take these for me?
Can you ask that?
I suppose you think to serve Thomasin in some way by it. Are you asanxious as ever to help on her marriage?
Venn was a little moved. I would sooner have married her myself, hesaid in a low voice. But what I feel is that if she cannot be happywithout him I will do my duty in helping her to get him, as a manought.
Eustacia looked curiously at the singular man who spoke thus. Whata strange sort of love, to be entirely free from that quality ofselfishness which is frequently the chief constituent of the passion,and sometimes its only one! The reddleman's disinterestedness was sowell deserving of respect that it overshot respect by being barelycomprehended; and she almost thought it absurd.
Then we are both of one mind at last, she said.
Yes, replied Venn gloomily. But if you would tell me, miss, why youtake such an interest in her, I should be easier. It is so sudden andstrange.
Eustacia appeared at a loss. I cannot tell you that, reddleman, shesaid coldly.
Venn said no more. He pocketed the letter, and, bowing to Eustacia, wentaway.
Rainbarrow had again become blended with night when Wildeve ascended thelong acclivity at its base. On his reaching the top a shape grew up fromthe earth immediately behind him. It was that of Eustacia's emissary.He slapped Wildeve on the shoulder. The feverish young inn-keeper andex-engineer started like Satan at the touch of Ithuriel's spear.
The meeting is always at eight o'clock, at this place, said Venn, andhere we are--we three.
We three? said Wildeve, looking quickly round.
Yes; you, and I, and she. This is she. He held up the letter andparcel.
Wildeve took them wonderingly. I don't quite see what this means, hesaid. How do you come here? There must be some mistake.
It will be cleared from your mind when you have read the letter.Lanterns for one. The reddleman struck a light, kindled an inch oftallow-candle which he had brought, and sheltered it with his cap.
Who are you? said Wildeve, discerning by the candle-light an obscurerubicundity of person in his companion. You are the reddleman I saw onthe hill this morning--why, you are the man who----
Please read the letter.
If you had come from the other one I shouldn't have been surprised,murmured Wildeve as he opened the letter and read. His face grewserious.
TO MR. WILDEVE.
After some thought I have decided once and for all that we must holdno further communication. The more I consider the matter the more I amconvinced that there must be an end to our acquaintance. Had you beenuniformly faithful to me throughout these two years you might now havesome ground for accusing me of heartlessness; but if you calmly considerwhat I bore during the period of your desertion, and how I passively putup with your courtship of another without once interfering, you will, Ithink, own that I have a right to consult my own feelings when you comeback to me again. That these are not what they were towards you may,perhaps, be a fault in me, but it is one which you can scarcely reproachme for when you remember how you left me for Thomasin.
The little articles you gave me in the early part of our friendship arereturned by the bearer of this letter. They should rightly have beensent back when I first heard of your engagement to her.
EUSTACIA.